Skip to main content

Pre-diabetes 

an apple

Pre-diabetes is a condition when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes does not have any symptoms but people living with pre-diabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next 5-10 years. Think of pre-diabetes as a warning light. 
 
GOOD NEWS: With healthy habits, you can often reverse pre-diabetes and prevent developing type 2 diabetes. 

How we test for diabetes and pre-diabetes  

vials of blood for testing A blood test called ‘HbA1c’ measures the amount of glucose (sugar) attached to red blood cells. HbA1c is a measure of your average glucose over the last 3 months. 

  • Normal HbA1c: Below 42 mmol/mol  

  • Prediabetes:  42-47 mmol/mol  

  • Diabetes: 48 mmol/mol or over  
     

You are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if: 

  1. You have a family member with type 2 diabetes 
    (The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes is about 15% if one parent has type 2 diabetes and 75% if both parents have type 2 diabetes) 

  1. You smoke 

  1. You are an older person (Although type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in younger people) 

  1. You have overweight or obesity  

  1. You have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) 

  1. You are of Asian / African / Afro-Caribbean ethnicity 

  1. You have had a previous heart attack or stroke 

  1. You are physically inactive 

a line with numbers and symbols 1 a family tree, 2 a cigarette, 3 elderly people, 4 scales, 5 a pregnant woman, 6 a globe, 7 a heart, 8 a person on a sofa

How do I find out my risk of developing type 2 diabetes? 

You can find out your personal risk of type 2 diabetes by answering a few simple questions on the Diabetes UK Know Your Risk tool. 

To access the tool, please follow this link.  

If you have completed the Diabetes UK Know Your Risk assessment and have been told that you’re at HIGH risk of developing type 2 diabetes, then we would advise you to contact your GP surgery to ask for a diabetes blood test – HbA1c. 

If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes by your GP or practice nurse, then you should be offered an annual diabetes blood test – HbA1c – to check if you’ve developed type 2 diabetes.  You will be contacted by the CTMUHB diabetes prevention programme to provide you more information about pre-diabetes and available support options to help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.   

 

How to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes 

  • Eat a healthy and balanced diet – Ask your healthcare professional to refer you to a dietician if you would like help with this. You can also visit the Healthy Weight website for more information. 

  • Stop smoking – Support is available to help you stop smoking through Help Me Quit 

  • Reduce alcohol intake – If you would like any advice or support around alcohol use, there are a number of options available to you: 

    • DASPA  - A single point of access for advice, information and an easy route into services for those affected by alcohol use in the CTM 

    • DAN 24/7 – A free bilingual drug and alcohol helpline for people living in Wales  

Click here to find out how many units of alcohol you are drinking each week

Spirit and Mixer (25ml /40%)

Spirit
and Mixer

(25ml /40%)

Glass of Prosecco (125ml /12%)

Glass of
Prosecco

(125ml /12%)

Bottle of Cider (330ml /5%)

Bottle
of Cider

(330ml /5%)

Medium glass of White Wine (175ml /13%)

Medium glass
of White Wine

(175ml /13%)

Pint of Beer (568ml /4%)

Pint of
Beer

(568ml /4%)

Medium glass of Red Wine (175ml /14%)

Medium glass
of Red Wine

(175ml /14%)

Free pre-diabetes information programmes:  

  • X-PERT programme 
    Suitable for anyone with pre- diabetes, or type 2 diabetes. This programme is delivered over six sessions in a group setting. 

Session 1: What is Prediabetes and Diabetes? 
Session 2: Nutrition for Health Fat Awareness 
Session 3: Carbohydrate Awareness 
Session 4: Psychology of Eating, Food Labels and Physical Activity 
Session 5: Possible Complications 
Session 6: Recapping and the Way Forward 

  • Let’s Prevent Diabetes Wales 
    A free online education programme for anyone at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, who is over 18 and living in Wales. To access Let’s Prevent Diabetes Wales please visit this website and complete the self-referral request. 

Interested in attending an X-PERT education course? Ask your practice nurse for a referral.  

More information about pre-diabetes can be found here: 

Follow us: